Editorial: Thumbs up to flag decision, gym dedication; thumbs down to deaths of noteworthy trio

Some of the work of our photographers during the past week.

THUMBS UP: We commend Carroll County Public Schools and Superintendent Stephen Guthrie for their decision to ban the Confederate battle flag, as well as swastikas, from clothing and memorabilia in schools, on vehicles on school grounds and at school-sponsored events.

Guthrie announced Wednesday at the Board of Education’s monthly meeting that, after receiving feedback on the issue, the decision had been made to move forward with a change in the dress code. It’s a controversial subject and many on social media criticized the move. We’ll assume those critics are being forthright when they say wearing Confederate flag shirts or driving around with mounted Confederate flags is just their way of displaying pride in their southern heritage and not an attempt to intimidate or promote any sort of agenda. But, whether they like or accept it, the flag is widely perceived as a symbol of hate. “Times change. Symbols change meanings,” Guthrie said Wednesday. This is not a First Amendment issue — public school students don’t have the same rights as the population at large — it is not about being politically correct and it is not a case of trying to forget history (the Civil War will most certainly continue to be taught in schools). It is about creating and maintaining a school environment that’s conducive to learning. During his presentation at the meeting, CCPS attorney Edmund O’Meally referred to a 10-page document that summed up the need for a ban pretty well, noting that the “display of Confederate battle flag symbols on school grounds will both materially interfere with school operations and collide with the rights of students, faculty, and staff who not only merely disagree with the perceived message behind the symbols but are so vehemently and negatively impacted by their presences at school that a hostile educational environment is created adversely impacting their ability to learn and teach.”

THUMBS DOWN: Carroll has lost an unusually large number of noteworthy citizens recently. George Mezardash was a well-known fixture in Carroll from the time he opened George’s Food Land in Eldersburg in 1964 and subsequently built a chain of supermarkets and Little George’s convenience stores. Mezardash died on Feb. 1 at the age of 85. To Mezardash, his customers were everything, according to his daughter Connie Fogle, who worked for her father while growing up. “My dad loved the customer and the customer was always right, even in a situation when the customer was clearly wrong,” Fogle said. “Everything he did was to make them happy.” Banker and philanthropist Edwin Shauck, who died on Feb. 5 at the age of 92, was remembered as a community servant who donated time and resources to organizations including Carroll Hospital, McDaniel College and Westminster United Methodist Church. Thomas Ferguson, a colleague of Shauck’s for about 40 years and a former mayor of Westminster, called Shauck a mentor and a good friend. “He was outstanding in personal character, as honest as anybody I ever met,” Ferguson told us. Melvin Baile Sr., who died Feb. 9 at the age of 79, devoted his life to agriculture and the New Windsor community. He ran a family farm and also worked at the Westminster Stock Yards. He served on the boards of the Farmer Home Administration and Farm Service Agency and served as chairman of the Future of Agriculture committee for Carroll County. “When he served on all these agricultural committees,” his son, Melvin Baile Jr. told us, “it wasn’t ‘what’s in it for me’ — it was what’s in [it] for the greater ag community. He thought of the needs of all farmers, not just for himself.”

THUMBS UP: Kudos to all who took part in the decision and subsequent ceremony to dedicate the gymnasium at Francis Scott Key High School in honor of longtime administrator Louis V. Beard during halftime of a girls basketball game on Feb. 10. Local dignitaries and family members took part in dedicating the gym to the county’s first African-American principal at an integrated school. Beard took over as FSK’s principal in 1965, during a combustible time in history, and helped to bring the community together during his two decades at the high school. John Seaman, who taught under Beard, said during the ceremony: “When I arrived in 1970, the fact that there was not a disrupting turmoil was marveled at. That was not happening everywhere that schools were being integrated.” Kennedy Cornick, is a member of FSK’s varsity girls basketball team and both took part in the ceremony and played a game that night in a gym now named for her grandfather. Darnella Cornick, Beard’s daughter and Kennedy’s mom, told us what she hoped would now happen. “As you enter this gym and see his name displayed,” she said, “perhaps we can all remember to follow the morals my father stood for: to be respectful to people, to be kind to people and to help people.”

Crews from New Windsor and surrounding fire companies were still working to control a house fire in the 1600 block of Bowersox Road, more than an hour after the blaze began Thursday.

Crews from New Windsor and surrounding fire companies were still working to control a house fire in the 1600 block of Bowersox Road, more than an hour after the blaze began Thursday.

CAPTION

Crews from New Windsor and surrounding fire companies were still working to control a house fire in the 1600 block of Bowersox Road, more than an hour after the blaze began Thursday.

Crews from New Windsor and surrounding fire companies were still working to control a house fire in the 1600 block of Bowersox Road, more than an hour after the blaze began Thursday.

CAPTION

Volunteers from Camden Cares make needed renovation to the Hampstead home of Melissa and Jonathan Meadows Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. Jonathan Meadows, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is a retired sergeant first class of the Army National Guard who was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and PTSD.

Volunteers from Camden Cares make needed renovation to the Hampstead home of Melissa and Jonathan Meadows Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. Jonathan Meadows, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is a retired sergeant first class of the Army National Guard who was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and PTSD.

CAPTION

The town of Hampstead held its annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Banner Display at Main Street Memorial Park in Hampstead Friday, Nov. 30, 2018.

The town of Hampstead held its annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Banner Display at Main Street Memorial Park in Hampstead Friday, Nov. 30, 2018.

CAPTION

Mr. and Ms. Claus led the tree lighting ceremony for the city of Westminster Saturday, Nov. 24 despite a downpour.

Mr. and Ms. Claus led the tree lighting ceremony for the city of Westminster Saturday, Nov. 24 despite a downpour.

CAPTION

Human Service Programs of Carroll County has a Neighbors in Need Year Round fund to fill gaps in its existing programs and leverage. Neighbors in Need Year Round is one of the beneficiaries of Holiday Hope, an annual campaign with the Carroll County Times.

Human Service Programs of Carroll County has a Neighbors in Need Year Round fund to fill gaps in its existing programs and leverage. Neighbors in Need Year Round is one of the beneficiaries of Holiday Hope, an annual campaign with the Carroll County Times.